JSC Kyivstar in 2010-2011 as part of its merger with Beeline Ukraine reduced the number of employees at the united company by 18%, HR Director Olena Kropivianska said at a press conference on Tuesday.

According to her, nine months prior to the merger of the two companies the expansion of the staff was frozen, and the main criterion for optimization was the principle of keeping competence in the company.

As reported, the transaction on the merger of OAO Vimpelcom with Ukraine's CJSC Kyivstar into a single holding company, Vimpelcom Ltd., was completed in April 2010. From autumn 2010, the gradual unification of the companies' networks, subscriber base and personnel started.

One of the merger stages was the optimization of staff. Kyivstar planned to reduce the number of employees from 6,500 to 5,300 people.